Introduction:

Oniria Miniatures is a figure company from Spain, specialized in producing high-quality small scale miniatures. The company recently introduced a new line of miniatures to their catalogue, offering WWII era figures in 1/48 scale. The first release in the new figure line is: German Cavalry NCO, WWII.

Review:

The set is packed in a hard cardboard shipping box. Opening the box reveals a single zip-lock bag containing the parts and a color boxart photo showing the assembled miniature painted by Angel Aparicio, the owner of Oniria Miniatures and an extremely talented small scale figure painter.

The pieces in this set are cast in resin, with horse and MP40 molded in metal. Why the two different mediums? So far the figures released under Oniria Miniatures label were done exclusively in metal, however, as this set is aimed at military modelers who prefer working with resin, Oniria decided to break the tradition and offer this WWII era figure in resin instead. I must admit I like the change and hope the future releases would also be done in resin. Anyway, the resin pieces are cast really well with all the details nicely reproduced. I found a tiny seam line going along the figure’s right leg, but that was easy to fix with some careful sanding. I got rid of the seam line, but managed to break tiny riding spurs in the process… I’ll have to recreate those using thin wire. The fit of the pieces is absolutely perfect. The pieces feature indentations and protrusions which facilitate optimal alignment. The assembly results in almost no visible gaps between pieces, which keeps the putty work to a minimum.

The figure is sculpted by Angel Terol, one of the most gifted sculptors today, and looks very impressive... the anatomy is perfect and the relaxed posture nicely delivered. The figure depicts German Cavalry Officer from WWII, dressed in a field blouse, riding breeches and high boots, with peaked cap on his head. Most of the equipment is attached to the Y-straps: MP40 Ammo Pouch, Pistol Holster and Map Bag. Gas Mask Canister is strapped around the figure's shoulder and attached to the belt, while the field binoculars are worn around his neck. The figure is armed with MP40, the iconic submachine gun of Nazi Germany, slung on the right shoulder.

The basic horse form was done by Ebob and it really is a wonderful sculpt with perfectly rendered animal anatomy and a well-balanced pose. As for the equipment, the M25 Saddle (Armeesattel) is secured over the horse blanket. The Armeesattel was introduced in 1925 and remained in service until the end of the war. This particular saddle featured two saddle bags hanging on the front, the left carrying the needs of the horse and the right containing the rider’s personal items, with all the additional equipment attached to the saddle base. The saddle setup depicted in this kit includes water canteen and helmet strapped to each side, blanket with Zeltbahn at the rear, and mess tin secured to one of the saddle bags. The stirrups and stirrup straps are cast on the rider’s legs, while bridle and reins are cast on the horse.

Conclusion:

German Cavalry NCO, WWII is another impressive figure release from Oniria Miniatures. The sculpt is absolutely amazing, and the cast wonderful with tons of details nicely reproduced in scale. I’m not an expert in German WWII uniforms and equipment, but my research indicates the sculptor did his job well, accurately reproducing Wehrmacht garb and gear. The figure goes together easily.

Altogether, the miniature should be a great addition to quarter scale vignettes and dioramas, or even better a show-stopper standalone piece.

References:

Weapons and Equipment of the German Cavalry 1935-1945, Schiffer Military History